Crib for wire coil formed on stationary coiling block



Jan. 29, 1957 CRIB FOB WIRE COIL FORMED ON STATIONARY COILING BLOCK Filed Dec. 30, 1953 F. J. PENlTZ 2,779,551

6 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. FAQfl/MA/o J. PA-W/TZ ATTORNEV Jan. 29, 1957 F. J. PENITZ 2,779,551

CRIB FOR WIRE COIL FORMED ON STATIONARY COILING BLOCK Filed Dec. 30, 1953 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 V INVEN TOR. FAPw/VA/W J. PEN/7'2 ///5 A 7" TORNEY Jan. 29, 1957 -rz 2,779,551

CRIB FOR WIRE con. FORMED 0N STATIONARY COILING BLOCK 6 Shets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. 30, 195;

INVENTOR. P151 6 FAQO/MM/D J P/V/7Z Jan. 29, 1957 F, J, PENlTZ 2,779,551

CRIB FOR WIRE COIL. FORMED ON STATIONARY COILING BLOCK Filed Dec. 30, 1953 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. FFRZJWAA D .1 PA//7'Z l/AS ATTORNEY F. J. PENITZ CRIB FOR WIRE COIL. FORMED ON STATIONARY COILING BLOCK Jan. 29, 1957 6 Shets-Sheet 5 Filed Dec. 30, 195;:

I INVEN TOR. FEQD/A/AA/D .1. PEN/7'2 BY ,ws ATTOQNEY F. J. PENITZ 2,779,551

CRIB FOR WIRE COIL FORMED ON STATIONARY COILING BLOCK Jan. 29, 1957 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed Dec. 30, 1953 INVENTOR. FERDINAND J. PE/V/TZ ATTORNEY United States Pa r CRIB FOR WIRE COIL FORMED DN STATIONARY COILING BLOCK Ferdinand J. Penitz, Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to llnited States Steel Corporation, a corporation of New Jersey Application December 30, 1953, Serial No. 401,207 17 Claims. (Cl. 242-84) This invention relates to a crib for receiving wire coil from the stationary coiling block of a wire drawing and coiling machine, and, more particularly, to an apparatus which will retard the vertical movement of the coil convolutions to a supported position on a coil handlingstem and in effect provide a downwardly moving support for the lowermost coil convolutions to thereby eliminate stretching of the coil convolutions into a helical shape as they move off the coilingmachine.

In apparatus for the continuous drawing of wire, the wire is coiled on a stationary block at the end of the drawing operation. As the convolutions of the coil 'accumulate on the block, they move axially endwise with respect thereto and .are dropped from its'end onto a coil handling stem, the convolutions of thecoil moving downwardly onto the stem which is thereafter used to trans port the coil wire. Due to the distance through which the coil convolutions must travel to a position supported on the stem, the convolutions are stretched into 'a'helica'l shape during their downward movement. The stretch-- in}; of the convolutions into a helical shape reducestheir inner diameter and presents difficulties with respect to obtaining a neatly stacked coil of wireon the stem.

One of the principal objects of this invention is' to provide a crib having provisions .for retarding the gravitational movement of the coil convolutions to a position supported on the stern and which is efiective to prevent distortion of the individual convolutions into a helical shape as they move downwardly. In a manner to be described,'the retarding mechanism of this invention provides a downwardly moving support which maintainsthe individual convolutions in a substantially horizontalplane during their downward movement to a position supported on the stem.

A further object of the invention .is to provide a crib for wire coil having retarding flaps which are mounted for movement from a position in thepath of gravitational movement of the coil convolutions to a position out or such path of movement together with resilient means biasing the retarding flaps against movement out or" the first of its positions. In a manner to be described, the coil convolutions .are deposited on the retarding "flaps and thus have their downward movement to a position supported on the stem arrested. As the weightof .the wire coil on the retarding flaps increases, the resilient biasing means for the retarding flaps is overcome and the flaps move downwardly to a position out of the path-of wire gravitational movement and release the accumulated coil of wire for downward movement toward "the base of the stem. It is preferred that thec'r'ib be provided with retarding flaps at different elevations withre spect to the :stem

stages.

A still further object of the invention'is toprovidea: supporting stem of novel construction for-a crib of-thef so that the wire coil is'accumiilate'dlin Patented Jan. 29, 1957 "ice character referred to in which the base of the stem has recesses permitting its emplacement on the bottom of the crib by a vertical movement of the stem with respect to the crib without interference from the crib retarding flaps.

Another object of the invention is to provide a crib with vertical standards on which the retarding flaps are mountedand in which some of the standards are pivotally supported on the crib base for movement to a position permitting removal of the coil and its supporting stem.

, Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description.

' in the drawings, there is shown a preferred embodiin'iit er the invention. In this showing:

"Figi-ir'e' 1 is a fragmentary elevational view of a crib constructed in accordance with the principles of this iniriventioii and illustrating its arrangement with respect to a'coilsuppor'ting stem and the stationary coiling block of a 'wirecoiling and drawing apparatus;

Figure 2 isa'plan view of the crib and stem shown in Figure 1, the coiling block of Figure 1 being omitted;

Figure 3 is an enlarged side elevational view of one of the vertical standards of the crib shown in Figures 1 and 2';

v Figure 4 is an end elevational view of the standard s'hown'in Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a plan view looking from the top of either Figures-"B er 4; V I

Figure 6 is an elevational view of a modified form of crib;

Figure 7 is a plan view of the crib shown in Figure '-6;

r-igur'ee is a detailside elevation of one of the vertical st anda'rds of the crib shown in Figure 6;

Figure 9 is an end elevation of the standard shown in Figure "8; V

Figure "10 is an elevational viewof the stem used in connection with the crib of Figure 6;

Figure 11 is a fragmentary plan view of the stern s'how'n in Figure 10; and

Figure 12 is a sectional view taken substantially along the nn-e XII- XII of Figure 10.

In wire drawing and coiling apparatus, the wire is coiled on a stationary block or drum at the end of the drawing operation and is delivered therefrom to a stern or-supporting structure. In Figure 1 of the drawings, the-numeral "1 designates a drum having a coil of wire thereon; The 'wire W is .fed to the drum 1 and coiled thereon by "a rotating member 2 which carries a pulley 3'over which the wire is trained. As the member 2 is rotated, the wire .is coiled about the drum 1 over which the coil' convolutions move endwise to theright as viewed in Figure 1. The drum 1 is stationary and provides a rotatable support for the member 2 which may be conv'e'niently constructed as shown in United States Patent No. 2,348,595 issued May 9, 1944 to B. M. Bletsoet a1.

At the'outer end of the drum 1 the convolutions move of guide members 6 projecting upwardly therefrom about whichthecoil is gathered,'the guide members .6 guiding the downward movement of the convolutions toward'the base 5. The upper ends of the members 6 have braces 7 which a're connected together at the center of the stem by a lifting eyelet 8 by which the stem can be handled byva 'crane hook, The base'5 is provided with a plurality of inwardly extending recesses '9 'for a purpose-to be described.

The crib shown in Figures 1 through 5 is designated as a whole by the numeral and comprises a bottom support 11 on which the base 5 of the stem is received and centered. At circumferentially spaced intervals a plurality of vertical standards 12, three in number as shown in Figure 2, are secured to and project vertically upwardly from the support 11. The standards 12 are respectively positioned to one side of and out of the path of gravitational movement of the coil convolutions toward the stern base 5.

Each of the standards 12 is a channel having its flanges 13 projecting outwardly with respect to the support 11. Each of the standards 12 mounts a pair of retarding flaps 14 and 15 respectively at ditferent vertical levels. The retarding flaps 14 and 15 have their inner ends extending through openings 16 in the webs of the standards 12 and are secured to hubs 17 rotatable on pivot pins 18 which have their opposite ends projecting through and supported by the flanges 13. Reinforcing blocks 19 are welded to the flanges 13 to provide a reinforced support for the ends of the pins 18. Each hub 17 has a lever arm 20 secured thereto for rotation therewith. The outer end of each lever arm 20 has a boss 21 in which a pin 22 is journaled. The pins 22 are integrally connected to a collar 23 having a vertically extending opening through which a spring anchoring rod 24 extends. The upper ends of the rods 24 mount stop nuts 25 by which the position of the rods with respect to the collars 23 may be adjusted. The outer end of each pin 22 carries a stop 26 which engages the edge of a reinforcing block 19 to limit pivotal movement of the retarding flaps in a clockwise direction to a horizontal position as viewed in Figure 3.

Upper and lower springs 27 and 28 respectively bias the pivotal movement of the fiaos 1415 in a clockwise direction to their horizontal positions in which the stops 26 engage the reinforcing blocks 19. As best shown in Figure 4, the upper end of the spring 28 is connected to the lower end of the rod 24 constituting part of the hub assembly for the lower retarding flap 15. The lower end of the spring 23 is anchored to a pin 29 extending through lugs 30 secured to the base 11. The spring 28, as indicated above, provides a resilient bias urging the lower retarding flap 15 to its horizontal position and additionally acts as an anchor for the spring 27 in a manner to be described.

The upper end of the upper spring 27 is secured in a similar manner to the lower end of the rod 24 constituting a part of the hub assembly for the upper retarding flap 14. The lower end of the spring 27 is connected to a rod 31 which has its lower end extending through a collar 32 and has stop nuts 33 thereon by which its position w1th respect to the collar 32 may be adjusted to vary the tension in the spring 27. The collar 32 has a pin 34 Y secured thereto and projecting laterally therefrom as viewed in Figure 4 which extend through a boss 35 on the outer end of a lever 36 which has its inner end secured to the hub 17 of the hub assembly for the lower flap 15.

Since the lower springs 28 act as anchors for the upper springs 27, the lower springs 28 are made much stronger than the upper springs 27. It is essential that the loading capacity of the lower springs 28 be greater in order that elongation of the upper springs 27 will not cause a similar elongation of the lower springs 28 and thus cause a premature movement of the lower flaps 15 to a vertical position. For example, for a 22 inch diameter-1400 pound 0011 to be collected on the stem, the upper springs 27 will each have a loading capacity of 186 pounds and the lower springs 28 will each have a loading capacity of 660 pounds. The capacity of the springs 27 and 28 will of course be dependent on the size of the wire and weight of the coil to be accumulated in the crib. In the operation of the apparatus thus far described, a coil handling stem is placed in position with its base 5 centered on the bottom support 11 of the crib, This is accomplished by swinging the block horn 4 of the coiling machine to a withdrawn position to permit lowering of the coil handling stem vertically to the position shown in Figure 1 by a crane having its hook engaged in the lifting eyelet 8. Referring to Figure 2, it will be noted that the recesses 9 in the stem base 5 enable it to be lowered vertically without interference from the retarding flaps 14 and 15, the recesses 9 being arranged at angular intervals similar to the angular spacing of the retarding flaps 14 and 15. After the stem is in position, the block horn 4 is returned to the position shown in Figure l in which it will be effective to guide the movement of the coil convolutions downwardly. The first convolutions' of the coil will have their downward movement arrested by the upper flap 14. As the coil accumulates on the upper flap 14, the resilient bias of the upper spring 27 will be overcome and the retarding flaps 14 will pivot gradually and progressively downwardly to a vertical position as shown in Figure 3 and the coil accumulated on the retarding flap 14 will move downwardly until its movement is arrested by the lower retarding flap 15.

Movement of the retarding flap 14 to its vertical position as illustrated in Figure 3 will etfect an elongation of the spring 27. Since the spring 27 is anchored by the lower spring 28, the load applied to the upper spring 27 will also be applied to the lower spring 28. However, it will be recalled that the lower spring 28 has a greater strength or loading capacity than the upper spring 27 and, as a consequence, the load resulting in the elongation of the upper spring 27 will effect a relatively smaller elongation of the spring 28. The strength of the lower spring 28 is made such that its elongation in response to complete elongation of the upper spring 27 will permit movement of the lower flaps downwardly only a relatively few degrees. For the example given above, the lower flap will move downwardly through an angle of approximately 16 in response to complete elongation of the upper springs 27 and movement of the upper flaps 14 to their vertical positions. This slight downward movement of the lower flaps 15 provides an advantage in that the lower flaps in effect form a fiat funnel which helps to center the coil on the stem as its lower edge is engaged by and has its movement arrested by the lower flaps 15.

After the weight of the coil has been transferred to the lower flaps 15, a further accumulation of coil from the coiling machine will result in a gradual and progressive downward movement of the lower flaps 15 which will continue until the lower flaps 15 are moved to their vertical position and the entire coil is released for downward movement onto the stem base 5. Downward pivotal movement of the flaps 15 in this manner causes the hub assemblies at the inner ends of the flaps 15 to rotate in a counter-clockwise direction as viewed in Figure 3. This result in a clockwise rotation of the levers 20 constituting a part of the hub assemblies at the inner ends of the fiaps 15 and an elongation of the lower springs 28. At

the same time, the lever arms 36 will be rotated in a counter-clockwise direction thus raising the anchor for the lower ends of the upper springs 27 to thereby relieve the tension in the upper springs 27. Relieving the tension in the upper springs 27 in this manner enables the springs 28 to effect a greater biasing efiect against the lower flaps 1.5 since the loading applied by the springs 27 to the springs 28 is reduced.

After the flaps 14 and 15 have moved to their lowered and vertical positions, the tension in the springs 27 and 28 urges the flaps outwardly so that they act as brakes which frictionally resist the downward movement of the wire and which have the effect of centering the coil on the supporting stem.

After the entire weight of the coil has been transferred its replacement with an empty stem.

In the modified construction of crib and stem illustrated in Figures 6 through 12, provision is made for four sets of super-imposed retarding flaps 14 and 15 and for the removal of the coil handling stern laterally with respect to the crib. In this showing, and referring to Figures through 12, the stem has an unrecessed base 40 to which is secured an upwardly projecting arbor indicated as a whole by the numeral 41. The arbor 41 is comprised of four vertically extending tubes 42 arranged at 90 intervals and having their lower ends secured to the stern base. The upper ends of the tubes 42 converge and provide guide surfaces for guiding the downward movement of coilconvolutions with respect to the stem. The tubes 42 are braced by four metal plates 43 which respectively have an 'arcuate shape about vertical axes throughout their length. Each plate 43 has its lateral edge portions 44 welded to the inner surfaces of adjacent tubes 42, and, as best shown in Figure 12, each :edge portion 44 is arranged tangentially with respect to a diameter of the stem and an edge portion '44 of an adjacent lplate -43. The specific shape and arrangement of the reinforcing plates 43 with respect to the tubes 42 provides a rugged arbor or coil handling stem which is capable of withstanding the severe loads to which it is subjected by a crane handling operation. A pin 45 extends transversely of the space defined by the plates 43 and has its ends secured to diametrically opposed plates 43 at the upper edges thereof for engagement with a crane hook.

In the crib shown in Figures 6 through 9-, four vertically extending standards 46 are arranged circumferentially to one side and out of the path of wire gravitational movement at 90 intervals on a supporting platform 47. The standards 46 have retarding flaps and biasing springs which have been designated by the numerals used in connection with the description of the modification shown in Figures l-5. Each of the standards 46 mounts a pair of vertically spaced retarding flaps 14 and which respectively have biasing springs 27 and 28 which are interconnected and function as explained in connection with the modification shown in Figures 1 through 5. Each of the standards 46 comprises a pair of spaced channels 48 having their flanges projecting respectively in opposite directions. The hubs 17 to which the inner ends or" the retarding flaps 14 and 15 are secured are keyed to the pins 18 which are rotatably supported in bearings 49 mounted in the webs of the channels 48. As best shown in Figure 9, a lever 50 keyed to the pin 18 mounting the upper hub 17 furnishes an anchor for the upper end of the spring 27 which has its lower end anchored to a lever 51 keyed to one end of the pin 18 mounting the lower hub 17. The other end of the pin 18 mounting the lower hub 17 has a lever arm 52 keyed thereto which provides an anchor for the upper end of the lower spring 28. The lower end of the lower spring 23 is anchored to the base of the crib by a pin 53. This specific arrangement of channels 48 provides for mounting of the springs 27 and 28 on opposite sides of the standards 46 and between the flanges thereof so that the channel flanges protect the springs against bumping by objects moving toward the crib.

As shown in Figures 6 and 7, two of the standards 46a are secured directly to the crib base 47 while the remaining two standards 4615 are secured to a supporting member 55. The member 55 is connected to the base 47 by a pivot 56 for swinging movement from its operative position shown in solid lines in Figure 7 to a withdrawn position as shown in dotted lines. A locking pin 53 having a shank (not shown) for insertion through openings (not shown) respectively in the supporting member 55 and base 47 is provided for locking the member 55 against pivotal movement out of its operativeposition as indicated by the solid lines in Figure 7.

In this modification, the springs 27 have a lesser strength than .the springs 28 as explained above in connection with themodification shown in Figuresl through 5. 'For' a. 2 2 inch diameter coil having a depth of about' iq o'inches and a total weight of about 870 pounds, the upper springs 27 in thismodification will have a loading capacity of about 250-.p'ounds while the lower spring will have 3103A: ing capacity of about 800 pounds. In operation, the coil will build up on the flaps 14 and 15 and move such flaps downwardly as explained above in connection with the modification shown in Figures l-5.

After a coil has been accumulated on the stem and has had its weight transferred to the base thereof, removal of the stem and coil supported thereonmay be effected by pivoting the supporting member 55 forthe standards 46b to the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 7. This is accomplished by first removing thelocking pin 58. However, it will be recalled that the flaps 14 and 15 exert an inward pressure against the coil after they have moved to their vertical positions. The reaction of the flaps 14 and 15 bearing against the coil must be relieved before the pin 55$ can be withdrawn with ease, and, for this purpose, the standards 46b have mounted thereon a horizontal hand bar 60 against which the operator may apply a force for relieving the reaction forces of the flaps 14 to the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 7 sothat the coil handling stem may be moved laterally outwardly v and replaced without interference from the standards 46b.

Removal and replacement of stems in this manner is desirable in that it is not necessary to move the drawing block horn 4 preliminary to removing or replacing a coil handling stem.

While the retarding flaps 14 and 15 in this modification have the same action with respect to lowering. a coil of wire, it will be noted that each flap when in its horizontal position has a horizontal surface 61 at its inner end and a downwardly sloping surface 62 at its outer end. The surfaces 61 receive the coil from the coiling apparatus, and, as the flaps move downwardly, the lower edge of the coil slides over the surfaces 61 and into engagement with the surfaces 62. The surfaces 62 bear against the outer surface of the coil when the flaps move to their vertical positions and frictionally resist its downward movement and maintain its convolutions concentric on the supporting stern.v

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that the retarding flaps 14 and 15 of each of the two modifications described above are effective to control the downward movement of a coil accumulating in the crib in such manner that the individual convolutions thereof are not stretched into a helical shape at any time and are in effect maintained in a substantially horizontal position at all times during their downward movement to a position in which they are firmly supported on the base of the coil handling stern. Attention is particularly directed to the fact that the initial 'convolutions of the coil have an unrestrained vertical movement from the coiling block hor'n which extends only over the distance between the top flaps and the bottom of the horn. Succeeding convolutions have an unrestrained drop through a lesser vertical distance due to the coil accumulating on the flaps 14. Even after the flaps 14 are moved downwardly to their vertical positions in response to a predetermined quantity of wire overcoming the biasing action of the springs 27 to permi-tfthel.

accumulated coil to move downwardly,-successive convolutions falling into position on the top of the accumulated coil will have an unrestrained movement downwardly over a relatively short path. In this manner, all of the individual convolutions in the coil are maintained in a sub tions' and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A crib for receiving coils of wire from a coiling machine comprising a support toward which the coil convolutions gravitate vertically from the coiling machine, a plurality of vertical standards at circumferentially spaced intervals about said support and respectively positioned out of the path of wire gravitational movement, each of said standards having a retarding flap pivotally connected thereto at a point spaced vertically from said support for downward pivotal movement from a horizontal position in the path of wire gravitational movement to a vertical position out of the path of wire gravitational movement, each of said flaps having a spring biasing its movement out of said horizontal position, said flaps constituting a first set positioned in a common horizontal plane when in their said horizontal positions, said flaps pivoting to their said vertical positions against the action of their biasing springs in response to a predetermined quantity of wire gravitating to a position supported thereon, and a second and similar set of retarding flaps and biasing springs therefor mounted on said standards at a level intermediate the first set and said support, the coiled wire gravitating to said second set in response to movement of the flaps of the first set to their vertical positions, the flaps of said second set pivoting to vertical positions against the action of their biasing springs in response to an additional quantity of wire gravitating from the coiling machine onto said predetermined quantity, movement of the flaps of said second set to their vertical positions being effective to release coiled wire supported thereon for movement toward said support, the biasing springs in said second set having a greater loading capacity than the biasing springs in said first set.

2. A crib as defined in claim 1 characterized by means interconnecting the biasing springs in said first and second sets for relieving the tension of the springs in said first set in response to movement of the flaps in said second set to their vertical positions.

3. A crib for receiving coils of wire from a coiling machine comprising a support toward which the coil convolutions gravitate vertically from the coiling machine, a standard extending vertically with respect to said support and positioned out of the path of wire gravitational movement, an upper retarding flap and a lower retarding flap respectively having connections to said standard for movement from a horizontal position in said path of wire gravitational movement to a vertical position but of said path of wire gravitational movement, and a pair of biasing springs respectively biasing the movement of said upper and lower flaps out of their said horizontal positions, said upper flap moving to its said vertical position against the action of its biasing spring in response to gravitation of a predetermined quantity of wire thereon to release said quantity for downward movement to said lower flap, said lower flap moving to its said vertical position against the action of its biasing spring in response to gravitation of an additional quantity of wire to release said predetermined and additional quantities for downward movement toward said support, the biasing spring for said lower fiap having a greater loading capacity than the spring for said upper flap.

4. The invention defined in claim 3 characterized further by the biasing spring for said upper flap having its lower end anchored to the upper end of the biasing spring for said lower flap whereby the latter spring serves as an anchor for said first mentioned spring.

5. A crib for receiving coils of wire from a coiling machine comprising a support toward which the coil coir volutions gravitate vertically from the ceiling machine, a standard extending vertically with respect to said support and positioned out of the path of wire gravitational movement, and a pair of retarding fiaps respectively hav ing pivotal connections on said standard at difiicrent verticallevels with respect to said support for pivotal movemeat from a horizontal position in said path of wire gravitational movement to a vertical position out of said '8 path of wire gravitational movement, each of said flaps having a biasing lever secured thereto for pivotal movement therewith, and resilient biasing means for said levers comprising a first spring having its lower end anchored against movement and its upper end connected with the lower one of said levers, and a second spring having an anchoring connection at its lower end with said one lever and its upper end connected with the other of said levers.

6. A crib for receiving coils of wire from a coiling machine comprising a support toward which the coil convolutions gravitate vertically from the coiling machine, a plurality of vertical standards at circumferentially spaced intervals about said support and respectively positioned out of the path of wire gravitational movement, each of said standards having a retarding flap connected thereto at a point spaced vertically from said support for downward movement from a horizontal position in the path of wire gravitational movement to a vertical position out of the path of wire gravitational movement, each of said flaps having a spring biasing its movement out of said horizontal position, said flaps being positioned in a common horizontal plane when in their said horizontal positions, and an auxiliary support having a pivotal connection with said first support for movement from an operative position to a Withdrawn position, at least one of said standards being secured to said auxiliary support for movement therewith to its withdrawn position to permit the removal and replacement of a coil handling stem.

7. A crib for receiving coils of wire from a coiling machine comprising a support toward which the coil convolutions gravitate vertically from the coiling machine, at least four vertical standards at circumferentially spaced intervals about said support and respectively positioned out of the path of wire gravitational movement, each of said standards having a retarding fiap connected thereto for movement from a horizontal position in the path of wire gravitational movement to a vertical position out of the path of wire gravitational movement and having resilient means biasing its movement to said horizontal position, and means mounting at least two of said standards for movement out of their circumferentially spaced arrangement with respect to said support to permit removal and replacement of a coil handling stern on said support by a horizontal movement on the stem with respect to the support.

8. A crib as defined in claim 7 characterized by. said last-named means comprising an auxiliary member having a pivotal connection to said support for movement from an operative position to a withdrawn position.

9. A crib for receiving coils of wire from a coiling machine comprising a support toward which the coil convolutions gravitate vertically from the coiling machine, a plurality of vertical standards at circumferentially spaced intervals about said support and respectively positioned out of the path of wire gravitational movement, each of said standards having a retarding flap connected thereto for pivotal movement from a horizontal position in the path of wire gravitational movement to a vertical position out of the path of wire gravitational movement and having resilient means biasing its movement to said horizontal position, and means mounting at least one of said standards for movement out of its circumferential arrangement with respect to said support to permit removal and replacement of a coil handling stem on said support without interference from the retarding flaps on the remaining standards.

10. An apparatus for receiving coils of wire gravitating from a coiling machine comprising a support toward which the coil convolutions gravitate from the coiling machine, a coil handling stern including a base member on said support and guide members extending vertically upwardly from said base member for guiding the vertical movement of the coil convolutions to said base member and for maintaining such convolutions concentrically thereof, and a crib comprising a plurality of vertical standards arranged =at.ci reumferentia-lly spaced intervals 'a'nd concentrically of "said stem, said standards respectively being positioned out o'fthe pathof wire-gravitational movement and having retarding flaps projecting inwardly toward said stem and in the path of wire gravitational :movement, and means mounting at least one of said .standards forimovement'out of its circumferentialarrangement with respect to said base to permit removal and replacement of said coil handling stern without interference from the retarding flaps on the remaining standards.

11. An apparatus as defined in claim characterized by said last-named means comprising an auxiliary member having a pivotal connection to said support, said member being pivotal from an operative position in which all of said standards are concentrically arranged with respect to said base to a withdrawn position in which the standard mounted thereon is withdrawn from said concentric arrangement.

12. An apparatus for receiving coils of wire gravitating from a coiling machine comprising a support toward which the coil convolutions gravitate from a coiling machine, a coil handling stem including a base member on said support and guide members extending vertically upwardly from said base member for guiding the vertical movement of the coil convolutions to said base member and for maintaining such convolutions concentrically thereof, and a crib comprising a plurality of vertical standards arranged at circumferentially spaced intervals and concentrically of said stem, said standards respectively being positioned out of the path of wire gravitational movement and having retarding flaps projecting inwardly toward said stem and in the path of wire gravitational movement, said stem base member having recesses extending inwardly of its periphery corresponding in numher and location to the number and location of said retarding flaps to permit vertical movement of the stem relative to said crib to a position with its base member engaged with said support without interference from said flaps.

13. A crib for receiving coils of wire gravitating over a vertical path from a coiling machine comprising a support toward which the coil convolutions gravitate, a standard extending vertically with respect to said support and positioned out of the path of wire gravitational movement, a retarding flap having a pivotal connection to said standard at a point spaced vertically from said support for movement from a horizontal position in the path of wire gravitational movement to a vertical position out of the path of Wire gravitational movement, a spring biasing said flap against movement out of its said horizontal position, said flap moving pivotally to said vertical position against the action of its biasing spring in response to gravitation of a predetermined quantity of wire thereon to release said quantity of wire for downward movement to a position resting on said support, said flap having a length related to the height of said predetermined quantity of wire on said support and to the vertical spacing of said point of pivotal connection above said support such that it is held by the quantity of wire resting on said support against return movement to its said horizontal position.

14. A crib for receiving coils of wire gravitating over a vertical path from a coiling machine comprising a pinrality of standards arranged at circumferentially spaced intervals concentrically of and out of the path of wire gravitational movement, each of said standards having upper and lower retarding flaps respectively connected thereto at vertically spaced points for movement from a horizontal position in said path of wire gravitational movement to a vertical position out of said path of wire gravitational movement, and a pair of biasing springs respectively biasing the movement of said upper and lower flaps out of their said horizontal positions, said upper flap moving to its said vertical position against the action of its biasing spring in response to gravitation of a predetenmine'd quantity :of )Wilifi thereon to release said quantity for --downward movement,- to said -1101W6I fiap, said-lower flap moving to its ysaid vertical position against the action of its biasing ispring ins-espouse to gravitation of an addis tional quantity of wire toirelease sai predetermined and additional quantities for downward movement toward said support, the biasing spring :for .said lower flap having :a greater loading capacity than the spring for said upper flap.

15. An apparatus for receiving coils of Wire gravitating over a vertical path from a coiling machine comprising a coil handling stem including a base member toward which the coil convolutions gravitate and guide members extending vertically upwardly from said base member for guiding the movement of the coil convolutions to said base member and for maintaining such convolutions concentrically thereof, and a crib comprising a plurality of vertical standards arranged at circumferentially spaced intervals concentrically of said stem and out of the path of wire gravitational movement, each of said standards having vertically spaced upper and lower retarding flaps extending inwardly therefrom and pivotally connected thereto for movement from a horizontal position in said path of wire gravitational movement to a vertical position out of said path of wire gravitational movement, and a pair of biasing springs respectively biasing the movement of said upper and lower flaps out of their said horizontal positions, said upper flap moving to its said vertical position against the action of its biasing spring in response to gravitation of a predetermined quantity of wire thereon to release said quantity for downward movement to said lower flap, said lower flap moving to its said vertical position against the action of its biasing spring in response to gravitation of an additional quantity of wire to release said predetermined and additional quantities for downward movement toward said support, the biasing spring for said lower flap having a greater loading capacity than the spring for said upper flap.

16. An apparatus for receiving coils of wire gravitating over a vertical path from a coiling machine comprising a coil handling stem including a base member toward which the coil convolutions gravitate and guide members extending vertically upwardly from said base member for guiding the movement of the coil convolutions to said base member and for maintaining such convolutions concentrically thereof, and a crib comprising a plurality of vertical standards arranged at circumferentially spaced intervals concentrically of said stem and out of the path of wire gravitational movement, each of said standards having a retarding flap extending inwardly therefrom and pivotally connected thereto at a point spaced vertically from said base member for downward pivotal movement from a horizontal position in the path of wire gravitational movement to a vertical position out of the path of wire gravitational movement, and biasing springs respectively biasing said flaps against movement out of their horizontal positions whereby said flaps operate to collect a predetermined quantity of gravitating wire thereon before pivoting downwardly to release the collected wire for movement toward said base member.

17. An apparatus for receiving coils of wire gravitating over a vertical path from a coiling machine comprising a coil handling stem including a base member toward which the coil convolutions gravitate from the coiling machine and guide members extending vertically upwardly from said base member for guiding the vertical movement of the coil convolutions to said base member and for maintaining such convolutions concentrically thereof, and means controlling the gravitational movement of said coil convolutions to said base member comprising a crib having a plurality of vertical standards arranged at circumferentially spaced intervals concentrically of said stem, each of said standards including retarding means extending inwardly therefrom and connected and mounted at a point spaced vertically trorn said base member for movement 11 from a position in the path of wire gravitational move ment to a position out of the path of wire gravitational movement, and means biasing the movement of said retarding means against movement out of said first position and operating in response to the collection of a predetermined quantity of gravitating wire for releasing said retarding means for movement to said second position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

